NEWS
On April 9 we rallied at #tdbank 295 Park Ave., Worcester, demanding
banks stop funding oil and gas projects, including #DAPL and #line3
#ShutDownDAPL #StopLine3 #stopthemoneypipeline @POTUS
#BuildBackFossilFree #BuildBackBetter
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March 26 was an historic day for climate action in the Commonwealth:
Governor Baker signed the Roadmap Bill into statute!
This is the first piece of climate legislation passed in Massachusetts in over a decade. This bill creates the foundation for bold and robust statewide climate policy for years to come. This win would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of local activists like you.
Over the course of the 2019-2020 legislative session, advocates organized in communities across the Commonwealth to tell our decision-makers that we need bold, progressive, statewide action to effectively combat the climate crisis. 350 Central Mass was very active in this effort. Thank you for your efforts to get this bill over the finish line, and onto the Governor’s desk!
We are especially excited to share that the Roadmap Bill will:
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Codify the definition of Environmental Justice, including the impacts of climate change in the bill's definition of "environmental burden.”
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Strengthen Massachusetts’s emissions reductions targets to establish a 50% reduction by 2030 and a 75% emissions reduction goal by 2040. These targets hold the Commonwealth accountable to its residents for reducing emissions in our building and transportation sectors in years to come.
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Direct the Department of Energy Resources to develop a Net Zero stretch code that cities and towns will have the option to adopt by 2022.
We know that our work is far from over. However, today we are better positioned than ever to keep mobilizing for stronger protections for Environmental Justice communities, a rapid transition off of polluting sources of energy, and an efficiency-based Net Zero building code that ALL communities adopt.
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"It starts with us and it starts in Worcester"
Sunrise Movement Worcester, 350 Central Mass, and other climate-action
groups share seven demands for the city at climate rally.
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Members of 350 Central Mass and Sunrise Movement
Worcester held a standout outside the Worcester office
of Rep. James McGovern on Shrewsbury Street, on February 12. We
were responding to a call for action by the Build Back Fossil Free coalition
https://buildbackfossilfree.org/ and the Indigenous Environmental Network
https://www.ienearth.org. Here is the letter we sent to Rep. McGovern
recognizing the progress being made under President Biden and emphasizing
our requests for further action.
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Less is More: Worcester's Robert Moylan Jr. Water Filtration Plant Lauded for Low Electricity Use, Worcester T&G, Feb. 4, 2021
With commentary by Paul Popinchalk of 350 Central Mass
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All winter we continued our standouts to urge the Commonwealth to boldly address the climate emergency. We have stood out at busy intersections in Worcester, Shrewsbury, and Holden, with more connunities to come. We urged Gov. Baker to sign landmark legislation (S.9) to strengthen the state's climate policies, which he finally did.
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Mass. House of Representatives Bill H4440 was filed by Rep. Dylan Fernandes of Falmouth and Rep. Jay Livingstone of Boston and cosponsored by 70 House Representatives. S636 was filed by Senator Marc Pacheco of Taunton and cosponsored by 11 State Senators. The bill is strongly supported by MassDivest, a coalition of climate and labor organizations working to divest pension funds in Massachusetts from fossil fuels. 350 Central Mass strongly supports this initiative. View the video news release of Dec. 14 here.
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Facing the Future: Green Worcester Plan to Prepare for Climate Change
Worcester Magazine, Nov. 9, 2020
"Paul Popinchalk, of 350 Central Mass, said, 'In general, I’m very impressed with the Green
Worcester Plan. It’s doing all the right things, just not fast enough. Climate change is
happening now, not in the future. We cannot wait until 2045, we need this tomorrow. City
officials can’t do this themselves, they can only enable us. We the people need to own this
and respond now.'”
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What Drives Members of 350 Central Mass in the Fight Against Fossil Fuels,
Worcester Magazine, Oct. 26, 2020
“'Climate change is a crisis that affects everything and will be affected by everything,'
said Errica Saunders, a member of 350 Central Mass. 'If climate change affects your food
security, then you aren’t going to be able to afford the food to put on your table if we
don’t raise the minimum wage.'”
Nicole Nelson, a member of Sunrise and 350CM, gave a heartfelt speech and poem at the rally. Read her words here!
The receptions everywhere have been great! We advocate for America to build a 100% grid by 2035, electrify everything, and
promote environmental justice for all. Because the climate crisis affects everyone, and we’re running out of time to save the planet.
A summary of S.9 can be found here. Check out the Worcester Telegram & Gazette article about our public action.